Laserfiche WebLink
Downtown Pedestrian Counts Reflect Increased Activity <br />Anyone walking downtown around noon a couple of weeks ago might have been counted in the quarterly downtown <br />pedestrian count – along with about 1,000 other people. On Mar. 18, the quarterly downtown pedestrian count noted the <br />continued trend of increased pedestrian activity in the city’s center with a 24 percent increase in pedestrians since last <br />quarter (Dec. 17, 2013) and an 11 <br />percent increase from the March 2011 <br />count. <br /> <br />The Community Development Division <br />has consistently conducted quarterly <br />pedestrian counts in downtown <br />Eugene since 2011 (they also have <br />historical data all the way back to the <br />late 1980s). During the count, 12 staff <br />members volunteer to count <br />pedestrians as they pass a specific spot <br />in 12 different locations throughout <br />the downtown core. The count is <br />conducted at noon for 15 minutes – <br />rain or shine. <br /> <br />Weather, of course, can and does play <br />an important role in pedestrian counts. <br />Even in Oregon, fewer people are out <br />during the colder and wetter winter months, and this is reflected in the seasonal dip in the pedestrian counts. However, the <br />winter counts have shown an increase in the number of pedestrians from 2011 to 2013 (approximately 25 percent). <br /> <br />Pedestrian counts are one measure of downtown activity and vitality. Over time, they can help measure the impact of new <br />development and revitalization efforts, indicate areas for possible streetscape and amenity projects, and help encourage <br />prospective retailers and businesses who are interested in locating downtown. <br /> <br />For more information, contact Laura Hammond at laura.a.hammond@ci.eugene.or.us or 541-682-6021. <br /> <br />Treatment Plant Celebrates 30 Years of Clean Water Operations <br />People visiting the wastewater treatment plant on River Avenue recently may have noticed this message on the plant’s <br />reader board: “Happy birthday to me.” That’s because the regional Water Pollution Control Facility is 30 years old this <br />month. <br /> <br />A new “Working City” video, “30 Years of Clean Water,” <br />celebrates the success of the Metropolitan Wastewater <br />Management Commission, a regional partnership that <br />has allowed the Eugene-Springfield area to grow and <br />prosper while protecting and enhancing the natural <br />environment. In a “birthday” message to treatment plant <br />staff, Michelle Cahill, the director of the Public Works <br />Wastewater Division, said, “The community has <br />supported us by authorizing bonds and paying them <br />back through property taxes for the initial construction <br />of the plant, which was paid for in part by local funds and <br />in part by federal grants for clean water infrastructure <br />improvements. Our rate payers pay for our continued <br />operation and upgrades. You, the staff, do your part to <br />keep us flowing.” <br /> The first waste entered the plant April 2, 1984 <br />“Working City” is financed with Eugene’s telecom funds and is produced as a public service through a joint effort involving <br />City staff and Metro Television. The Wastewater video can be viewed on the City’s video web page or by going directly to <br />http://vimeo.com/90552942. It also airs on Comcast Cable channel 21 (check the Metro TV schedule for times). For more <br />information, contact Michelle Cahill at 541-682-8606. <br /> <br /> <br />EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 2 <br />April 10, 2014 <br />